Zwickau ready for Simson meeting: Police increase presence against extremism!

Zwickau ready for Simson meeting: Police increase presence against extremism!

In Zwickau, the upcoming Simson meeting is causing increased security interest. On July 17, 2025, the city of Zwickau issued a comprehensive security notice to prevent possible riots. This notice includes a security concept from the organizer, with the Zwickau Police Department providing advice. As MDR reports, the police presence will be significantly increased by uniformed forces, plainclothes police officers and communications teams on the event site. In addition, personnel from the Saxon riot police and other Free State departments will be on duty.

Increased controls are expected, particularly around the arrival and departure of participants, especially on Reichenbacher Straße. The police also warn of possible traffic disruptions. The background to these measures is alarming: numerous crimes occurred at the Simson meeting in 2022, including breach of the peace and attempted grievous bodily harm. The investigations also uncovered use of anti-constitutional symbolism, including right-wing extremist stickers and xenophobic slogans.

Right-wing extremism as a challenge

According to Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, right-wing extremism is considered the greatest extremist threat in Germany. The Constitutional Protection Report 2022 shows that this extremism poses a major challenge to both society and the security authorities. The police are called upon to take repressive and preventive measures to combat right-wing extremism. The classification of extremist crimes as politically motivated crime (PMK) plays a central role.

The security authorities in Germany are dealing with the challenges posed by right-wing extremism in a variety of ways. For example, the Police State Security documents relevant information about suspects, while the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) coordinates information about dangerous people. To reduce the risks, authorities must also be vigilant within their own ranks, as there are signs that right-wing extremist attitudes may also be widespread among police officers.

Focus on prevention measures

Combating right-wing extremism also includes preventative approaches. The BKA is conducting several research projects to develop effective measures against extremism. Projects such as “Control Internet Propaganda (KIP)” aim to develop and test prevention and intervention tools for risk groups. These projects are a combination of technical monitoring and social-educational approaches that focus on working with at-risk youth. The BKA's [research projects](https://www.bka.de/DE/ UnserAufgabe/forschung/forschungsprojekteund results/TerrorismusExtremismus/forschungsprojekte/forschungsprojekte_node.html) show that the focus is also on strengthening media literacy and political education in the fight against extremist ideas.

Thanks to the comprehensive measures and cooperation between various institutions, there is great hope that both the upcoming meeting in Zwickau and future events can be made safer. It remains to be seen what concrete steps will ultimately be taken to effectively address the challenges of right-wing extremism.